Window regulator



Mayl 17, 1927.

E. KOEB l WIr-Dow REGULATOR Filed May 17. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1,629,277 May 17 1927 E. KOEB WINDOW REGULATOR Filed May 17. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 17, 1927.

UNITED s-rATEs PATENT OFFICE.

HIL 'KOEB, 0F TUCKAHOE,l NEW YORK,

ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

PERFECT WINDOW REGULATOR CORPORATION, F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORA- TION 0F DELAWARE.

WINDOW REGULATOR.

Application tiled May 17, 1928. Serial No. 639,630.

My invention relates to window regulators Aadapted to raise and lower windows, in its specific application it being more particularly applicable to the raising and lowering of windows for vehicles such as closed automobiles.

They principal object of the invention is the production of a window regulator which shall preferably be of the crank type, that l0 is, which shall be operated by a rotatable crank or handle and which shall be simple inl construction and of few parts.

A further object of the invention is the production of a window regulator having the vabove characteristics and which shall be so constructed as to lock the Window against movement as soon as the crank or handle is released.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear from the accompanying description. the invention consisting in the parts and combinationsof parts hereinafter more particularly described and then specifiedv inthe claims.

In the accompanying drawings showing a practical embodiment of the linvention:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a fragmentary portion of the window and frame showing the window regulator applied thereto. l

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section (partly in elevation) of the parts shown'in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarlged vertical section taken through the device.

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3. l

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation of the upper pinion showing the manner in which it is secured or held fast to its supporting plate.

Figs. 6,'7 and 8 are details showing the steps in the manufacture of a. pinion or gear used in the construction of the device with a hub and shaft integral therewith.

45 Referring in detail to the drawings:

1 indicates the side members of a Window frame which may be the window frame of a closed automobile, said members being provided with channels or guideways 2 receivinga-Window 3 which is slidable vertically therein as is now lwell known in the art. Said window 3 is provided with a strip 4; secured in any manner to the lower edge thereof and to which is-:Eastened a U-shaped guide or channel 5 receiving a` roller 6 which is 65 pivotally mounted on the end of an operating arm 7. Said operating arm 7 ad]acent lts other end is pivoted as by a pivot 8 to a suitable support 9 which is provided with an inturned flange 10 secured by bolts and nuts or by lother means to one ofthe side members 1. As illustrated, th'e inner end of said operating arm 7 is also provided with a toothed segment or other toothedmember 11 preferably forming an integral'part thereof and meshing with a. pinion 12 which is secured or made fast to. a Igear or .other toothed member 13. The gear 13 is pivoted to the support 9 preferably adjacent the central portion thereof as shown in Fig. 3.

A bearing sleevef14, which together with the support 9 constitutes the stationary portion of the apparatus, is of general cylindrical shape and is provided with an annular flange 15 which is bolted or otherwise secured to the support 9by bolts 16. Said sleeve 14 rotatably receives the hub member 17 of a crank or handle 18, said hub member and crank being herein termed the operating member. The hub 17 and sleeve 14 are lpro` vided. therebetween with an annular groove 19, the hub 17 including a slotor opening 20 .communicating with said groove, the support 9 is also provided with an annular opening rotatably receiving therein an operated member or plate 21, movementl of which plate towards the crank or handle is prevented by the sleeve14. A clutch member or spring 22, shown herein as aI flat `band spring of uniform section, is positioned in the groove 19, the spring being iexible and normally expanded into frictional` engagement with the stationary member or sleeve 14. The clutch member is provided with ends or fingers 23 which are' bent to extend away 95 from said spring in substantial parallelism, preferably inwardly, the ends or lingers being loosely received within the slot or recess 20. The rotatable plate 21 is also provided with a lug 24 extending Withinthe slot or 'opening 20 intermediate the engagement lfingers 23 of the spring 22 for limited rotative movement with respect to said clutch member. It will accordingly be seen that the lug 24 and the portion of the yhub 17, encircled by the clutch member 22 constitutefinterlocking projections pe'rmittin only limited. rotative movement of the ub 17. and" lhub as shown.

operated member 21.l The numeral 25indicates a pinion carried on the end of a shaft or bolt 26 which exten-ds loosely longitudinally through the hub 17 One end of said bolt passes through the annular rotatable plate 21 While the other end terminates in a head `received by a suitable opening in the Said pinion and plate are made |fast to each other in a manner to be presently described.

For raising or lowering the window 3 in its channels or guideways 2 the crank or handle 18 is rotated in a direction depending on the direction of movement it is desired to give the window. Wien so rotated. a side wall of the opening or slot 20 in the hub firstengages the outer side of either of the ends 23 of the clutch spring 22 and the drag of the other end of the spring tends to contract said spring away from the sleeve 14 to release the clutch and permit free rotation of the hub. Continued rotation of the crank and of the hub carries the lug 24 with it as said lug engages within the slot 20, the said spring being contracted then merely sliding in the groove 19. Inasmuch as the lug 24 is part of the plate 21 and the plate is fast to the pinion 25, motion is then transmitted through the pinion 25, gear 13, pinion 12, segment 11, operating arm, 7 androller 6 which slides in the channel or guide 5 resulting in a movement of the window in an obvious manner.

On they other hand, if the crank or handle is released and power is applied to the driven member, or in other words, the window, the spring 22 acts to `lock the window against movement for the reason that the lug 24 on the late 21 engages either of the inner sides of t e ends 23 of the spring 22, thus expanding the spring and locking' or jamming it into secure frictional engagement with the stationary or fixed member of the apparatus, that is, againstthe inner wall of the sleeve 14 whereby rotation of said hub is prevented. I have found in,..practice that while the specific. system of l'g'ggearing employed in itself acts to a large extent to prevent movement of the window when powerisapplied to the window itself, vthe specific construction of lock, to wit: the spring, absolutely and effectively acts to perform its 'desired locking function. a

To counterbalance the weight of the window, that is'to assist in the'raising operation thereof, I have provided one or more springs 27 one of the ends of which are hooked to an eye 28 on the end of the operating arm 7 ,While the other ends arehooked to acorresponding eye on an arm 29. One

endrof said 'armis pivoted -to the support 9 adjacent its upper portion while the other end is pivoted on the pivot 8. Asis customary I prefer to cover the lower part of, the Window or the window sill with upholst/ery 30 or other material so that the erating mechanism with the exception of handle is hidden from view.

In Fig. 5, I have shownl in detail my specific and improved method of securing the pinion 25 `to the supporting plate 21, said pinion 25 being provided with a hub 31, as is illustrated. In said figure the supporting plate 21 is punched or depressed so as'to provide a'depression 32 having openings therein, said depression and openingsv being of a size adapted to receive and interit with the pinion 25 and the teeth on the pinion 25 respectively. Said supporting plate is also provided with an opening or bore 33 adapted to receive the hub 31 of said pinion. To connect the parts together the hub 31 is slipped into the opening 33 so that the pinion l25 will enter the depression 32 and the teeth of said pinion will enter the Vopenings in said depression. The outer edge vof said hub 31 is then riveted over onto the face of said supporting plate as indicated iny duce`a pi'nion or gear 25 as shown in end Y View in Fig. 8.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In combination, an operating member,` a stationary member, a flexible' clutch member positioned within said stationary member and normally expanded into frictional engagement therewith, said clutch member including engagement fingers extending from the body of said clutch member, and an `operated member including means positioned for engagement with said engagement fingers, and means operatively associated with said operating member and constructed for engagement with said fingers for moving said clutch member and operated member.

2. In combination, an operating member, a stationary member, a Hexible clutch member positioned within said stationary member and normally expanded into frictional engagement therewith, said clutch member including engagement fingers extending inwardly from the body of said clutch mem-.

ber, and an Yoperated member including means positioned between said fingers for engagement therewith, and Ameans carried by said operating member and constructed for engagement with the outer faces of said lingers for moving said clutch member and operated member.

.clutch member positioned between said operating fnember and said sleeve and normally in frictional engagement with the latter, said clutch member including engagement fingersextending from the body thereof, and an operated member', Said operating member including means constructed for engagement with. said fingers for releasing said clutch member from engagement with said sleeve, said operated member including means for .engagement with said fingers for causing said clutch members to more securely engage `said bearing sleeve.

4. In combination, an operating member, a 'fixed member, a` fiat band spring normally tensioned for frietional engagement with said fixed member, said spring including engagement fingers extended from the body thereof, and means movable with said operfating member for engaging said fingers for releasing said spring .from said fixed lmember, lan operated member including a part positioned for engagement with said fingers to be moved thereby, said operated ,member causing said spring to more firmly engage said fixed member when moved into engagement with either of said fin ers.

5. In combination, a xed cylindrical sleeve, a spring member normally expanded into frictional engagement therewith, and including inwardly extended engagement fingers, a rotatable hub, ySaid hub being provided with an opening loosely receiving said fingers and having limited rotative movement relatively to said spring member, an operated member rovided withv an extension positioned wit iin said opening and between said fingers and having limited rotative movement relatively to said spring member. I Y

6. In combination, a fixed substantially cylindrical bearing sleeve, a circular band spring normally expanded into engagement therewith and including engagement fingers extended away from the body of said spring in substantial parallelism, an operating member having means for engagement with one face of each of said fingers for releasing' said spring from engagement with said sleeve, and an operated member having means for engagement with the opposite face of said fingers to be moved thereby.

7. In combination, a rotatable hub, a shaft extending loosely axially through said hub, an operated member secured to saidl shaft for rotation relatively to said hub, said operated member and hub having `interlocking projections ermitting limited rotative rotation of sai hub and operated member, a fixed member, a clutch spring normally expanded into engagement with said fixed member and including extensions positioned between the interlocking projection of said hub and operated member.

8. In combination, a cylindrical bearing sleeve, an operating member including a hub portionlpro'vided with a stop shoulder for engagement with said sleeve, an operated member provided with a shoulder constructed for engagement with a portion of said sleeve spaced axially from the point of engagement of said hub portion and sleeve, f

a longitudinally extending shaft normally preventing axial separation of said hub and operated member but permittingrelative rotation thereof, said hub and operated member being provided with interlocking projections ermit-ting limited rotative movement of t 1e former relative to the latter, and an automatic friction clutch constructed to be engaged by said hub and operated member to be released by the former and to be locked by the latter.' 4

9. In a device of the character described, a driving member provided with a recess therein, a handle connected to said driving member, a circular band spring positioned "within said recess and provided with free ends turned inwardly and disposed between the walls of said "recess, and a driven member provided with a projection entering said recess and adapted to engagethe ends of said spring. 4 i

10. In combination, an operator, a fixed member, said operator and fixed member being provided with a circular opening therebetween, a spring of substantially uni form section Within said opening and having its ends extending ltoward the center thereof, and yan operated member provided with means extending intermediate the ends of said spring for forcing said spring into locking engagement with said fixed member. 11. In combination, n operator, a fixed bearing sleeve, a hub member rotatably supported by said ,sleeve and connected to said operator and provided with a groove therein and with a slot communicating with said groove, an operated member provided with a portipn positioned within said slot, a spring fivithin said groove, said spring being normal ly.`- expanded intoengagement with said bearing sleevel and adapted to .be engaged by said operated member and said hub member to cause said spring to be engaged with or disengaged respectively from Isleeve, said hub embodying means for re.-

leasing the frictional engagement of said spring with said sleeve.

13. Ina window regulator, an operating member, an operated member, a fixed 'member, a circular band spring normally fricpairs of interlocking gears for causlng saidv element to be moved when said operated member is actuated.

14. In a window regulator, an operating member, an operated member, a fixed member, a circular band spring normally frictionally engaging said fixed member, said operating member and operated member having means for releasing and locking said spring respectively, a window moving element, means including a plurality of pairs of` interlocking gearsfor causing said element to be moved when said operated member ,is actuated, and spring means for counterbalancing the weight of said window.

15. In a window regulator, an operating arm, a toothed member carried thereby, a rotatable pinion meshing with said toothed member, a gear fixed to said pinion, a' second pinion meshing with said gear, a crank, means connecting said crank and said second pinion, a fixed member, a spring-pressed friction device normally engaging said fixed member, means controlled by said crank for releasing 'said spring-pressed device fromr said fixed member and means associated with said second pinion for causing said device to be more firmly engaged with said fixed member. 4 f

16. In combination, a fixed member, a rotatable operating member, a rotatable operated member, a circular clutch element normally engaged with said fixed member and including terminal projections, said operating member and o erated member including.

means positione for engagement with sai projections for causing sald clutch element to be respectively released from or morel securely engaged with said fixed member.

17. In combination with a movable window, a window regulator comprising an operating member, a driven member operatively connected to said window and to said operating member, a friction clutch and en- -gagement means therefor, means carried by said operating member for releasing said friction clutch from said engagement means, and means carried by said driven lmember for forcing'said friction clutch into more secure engagement with said engagement means.

18. In combination with amovablev Win? dow, a window regulator comprising an operating member and an voperated member, means for operatively connecting said operated member with said window, releasable friction mechanism for normally preventing movement of said operated member, means 

